Road grader



Jan. 19 1926.

M. FLUTO ROAD GRADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1924 Jan. 19 1926.

M. FLUTO ROAD GRADER Filed Nov. 6. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented J an. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES MARTINUS FLUTO, OF WYNDMEBE, NORTH DAKOTA.

ROAD GBADER.

, Application filed November 6, 1924. Serial No. 748,833.

[0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MARTINUS Fnu'ro, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wyndmere, in the county of Richland and State of North Dakota, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Road Graders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in road graders, and more particularly to push road graders employed in the construction of crown roads.

It is well known to those familiar with the use of these machines in this type of work that during the first out, which is made at the extreme side of the road and serves to form a vertical angular wall forming the junction of the edge of the road with the side and providing a ditch, there is no tendency of the scraper toward sidewise movement, the end of the scraper blade being against the formed side wall. When, however, grading cuts are made, in which the edge of the scraper is spaced from the .ditch and side wall, there is a tendency of the grader, due to the heavy weight of material which is being shifted transversely of the road by the angular scraper blade, to move toward this side wall of a sidewise skidding movement .which renders control of the scraper extremely difficult and often results in damage thereto.

An important object of this invention is to provide a simple attachment for these road graders whereby the i may be supported in spaced relation to this side wall during such grading cuts after the first cut.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be readily attached to road graders now in use without in any manner altering the present construction thereofand without in any manner interfering with the operation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be durable and eflicient in ser vice, which is readily repaired and moved to operative and inoperative position, and which is generally facile in its manipulation.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the urpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a road grader having an attachment constructed in accord ance with my invention; a

Figure 2 is a perspective of the various parts of the hinge and extensible bar;

Flgure 3 is a perspective of the yoke and flexible connection employed for connectin the yoke with the forward end of a lon 1- tudinally extending frame member of t e road grader;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing in dotted lines the approximate position assumed by the caster-wheel during operation of the road grader.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral-10 indicates the longitudinally extending body frame members of a road scraper of any desired character, these frame members being supported at the front and rear of the machine by wheels 11 mounted upon transversely extending supporting axles 12. 13 designates the transversely extending scraper blade which is inclined from one side to the other of the machine so that earth removed thereby is shifted to one side of the machine and discharged. The above structure is all old and well known and is in no way claimed by me as a part of my invention except in combination with the structure hereinafter described.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means for securing to the rear end of the longitudinally extending frame member 10, at that side of the machine opposite from that at which the earth is discharged, one section 14 of a universal hinge, the opposite section 15 of which is carried by an extensible bar 16, the opposite end of which has mounted therein a fork 17 in which is disposed a caster-wheel 18.

The arms 19 of the fork are engaged by the ends of a U-shaped clevis yoke 20, the bight portion 21 of which has a plurality of transversely spaced 0 enings 22 for the reception of a pivot bot 23 forming a means for attaching a cable eye 24. To this cable eye 24 is attached one end of a cable 25, the forward endof which has attached thereto one end of a length of tit) chain 26, the opposite end of which is provided with a hoolz 27 which, after the chain has been engaged about the longitudinally extending frame member 10 adjacent the forward end of the grader, may be engaged with the links of the chain to hold the same in adjusted position. A

The frame member attached section H of the hinge preferably consists of a ball, of a ball and socket joint, the section 15 being formed as a socket and in two parts :28 and 29 adapted to be assembled upon the ball. The ball 14% is formed upon one end of a bar 30 having formed therein adjacentone end an opening 31 and adjacent the opposite end a longitudinally extending slot 32. A clamping plate 33 is associated with the bar having openings corresponding to the openin 31 and slot 32, securing elements being .irected through these openings and adapted to be arranged upon the upper and lower sides of the frame member 10. The slots formed in the bar and plate permit adjustment of the securing elements toward and away from one another to accommodate frame members of varying widths. The extensible bar 16 is preferably in the form of two telescopically engaged sections of pipe 34 and 35 having longitudinally spaced openings therethrough adapted for interchangeable reception of a securing element whereby the eflective length of the bar may be varied to suit the needs of a particular machine and a particular spacing of the cut from the side of the road.

In the use of the'device the bar acts as a positive limit to determine the distance toward the side bank B through which the grader may move, the cable connection with the forward end of the machine serving to limit the rearward movement of the bar. The universal hinge will permit movementof the outer end of the bar sutiiciently to accommodate various roughnesses which are always met with in road construction, and particularly at the point at which the casterwheel will 0 aerate, this being at the junction of the wall with the road surface R. During the first cut and at other times when not needed, as during transportation of the grader from place to place, the bar may be swung to a position where it parallels the frame member 10 to which it is attached and secured in such position by its cable connection.

Since obviously the structure hereinbetore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 2-- 1. In combination with a road grader having a longitudinally extending frame 1116111- her, an extensible bar pivoted to said frame member and swingable from a position where it parallels the frame member to a position where it extends outwardl downwardly and slightly rearwardly mm the frame mei'nbcr, said rod being of greater length than the vertical distance between its pivot and the ground, a caster-wheel carried by the outer end of the bar, and a fie ible connection between the aster-wheel and said longitudinally extending frame member at a point in advance of such pivotal connection.

2. In combination with a road grader, a bar pivotally secured to the road grader and mvingable about the pivot thereof from a position where it extends longitudimilly of the road grader to a position where it extends outwardly, downwardly and rearwardly from the road grader, and a flexible connection between the outer end of the bar and the road grader in advance of such pivotal connection, the outer end of said bar bein 1 provided with a ground-engaging wheel; said rod being of greater length than the vertical distance between its pivot and the ground.

In combination with a road ader, a member attachable to the road grat l cr adjacent the rear end thereof and including one member of a universal hinge, a bar formed in two telescopically engaged sections having means whereby they may be held in adjusted positions, one of said sections being provided with the other member of the 11111- versal hinge, the other of the sections bein provided with a ground-engaging whee and a flexible element engaged with the outer end of the last named section and adapted for connection with the road grader at a point in advance of the point of attachment of the first named member, said bar sections when telescoped to their fullest extent being of greater length than the vertical distance between the ground and the point of attachment of the first named incur ber.

1. In combination with a road grader, a member attached to the road grader adjacent the rear end thereof and including one member of a universal hinge, a bar formed of two telescopically engaged sections each having a series of openings, :1 securing element selectively engageable in the opening of the sections to thereby maintain the bar in a desired adjusted length, one of said sections being provided with the other member oil? the universal hinge, the other of the sections being provided with a ground'engag ing wheel, and a connection between the bar and the grader limiting rearward movement of the free end of the bar with relation to the grader, said bar sections when telescoped to their fullest extent being of greater length than the vertical distance between the ground and the point of attachment of the first named member.

5. In combination with a road grader, a member attachable to the road grader adjacent the rear end thereof and including one member of a universal hinge, a bar formed in two telescopically engaged sections having means whereby they may be held in adjusted positions, one of said sections being provided with the other member of the universal hinge, the other of the sections being provided with a ground-engagin wheel, and a flexible element engaged wit the outer end of the last named section and adapted for connection with the road grader at a point in advance of the oint of attachment of the first named mem er, said hinge permitting shifting of the bar to a point where it extends longitudinally of the grader, said bar sections when telescoped to their fullest extent being of greater length than the vertical distance between the ground and the oint of attachment of the first named mem- In testimonywhereof I hereunto affix my signature.

MARTIN US FLUTO. 

